Waste and recycling terms and conditions

Householder ownership and responsibility

1.1 All waste and recycling containers supplied to householders for the purpose of the waste and recycling collection service shall remain the property of the Council.

1.2 The container charge covers the administration of processing your order and the delivery of your container only. Containers cannot be collected from the Council to reduce the cost.

1.3 Additional grey general waste bins and blue recycling bins cannot be paid for. If it is identified that a grey or blue bin is present at your property then a bin will not be delivered and no refund will be due. If you require an additional grey general waste bin or blue recycling bin, this must be approved by the Council through the relevant waste audit process.

1.4 When householders move home they are required to leave all wheeled bins at the property for the new occupants. Where this does not occur, new occupiers may recover costs for the payment of containers from the previous owners at their own discretion. The Council will not be involved in these negotiations.

1.5 If a wheeled bin or box from a property receiving an assisted collection is reported as missing following collection, the refuse collection vehicle's CCTV will be reviewed and the charge for the missing bin may be waived at the Council's discretion, if it has been identified that the waste container has not been correctly returned.

1.6 Your wheeled bins and boxes should be placed at the edge of your property, shared drive, service strip or agreed collection point by 7.30am on your day of collection and removed from here after collection on the same working day. They should be secured within the boundary of the property at all other times.

1.7 From time to time, the Neighbourhood Services team direct their time towards collection points or other areas of the highway where bins are persistently left out between collections. Where an area is to be cleared of bins, surrounding properties are notified in advance that this is to happen. If a resident continues to leave a waste container presented after this notification they will be required to pay for a replacement in full, if their bin is removed.

1.8 If the bin goes missing, the householder will be responsible for the charge of a replacement.

1.9 If containers go missing from within your property boundary or whilst presented for collection the householder is liable to pay for a replacement.

1.10 It is advised that a thorough check of the area be made by the householder before a replacement bin is requested. If the bin is found after the payment has been processed no refund will be given.

1.11 The Council does not encourage reporting the loss of wheeled bins or boxes to the police. A crime number will not void the charge.

1.12 Householders that do not acquire the appropriate container through the Council will not receive a collection service from the Council. In such cases the Council may serve a legal notice on the householder through the Environmental Protection Act (1990) Section 46(3), which will formally request the appropriate containers are provided.

1.13 Your waste will not be collected unless it is presented in the correct South Ribble Borough Council containers.

The council's responsibility

2.1 Wheeled bins and boxes will be returned to the council approved point of return by the collection crew immediately after collection. CCTV and tracker technology is installed on all our refuse collection vehicles. We are able to use this to check where your bin has been left after collection. If your bin goes missing on your collection day and you believe it is down to our crews not replacing your bin correctly you will still be required to pay for a replacement, but then an enquiry can be raised to check the on-board CCTV. If it is subsequently found fault our crews are at fault you will be refunded.

2.2 Replacement wheeled bins or boxes should be delivered within 5 working days of the payment being received, however in busy periods can take up to 10 working days.

2.3 There are occasions where a wheeled bin may get damaged during collection, or be lost in the back of the collection vehicle. If this happens, our crews will report this information and a notification will be posted through your door. You will receive a replacement bin free of charge without needing to contact us.

2.4 The wheeled bin provided may be new or refurbished, but will be of sufficient standard for the storage and collection of waste.

2.5 The Council will deliver the replacement bin within the boundary of the property if access is available or next to the most appropriate door and post a delivery note through the letter box once the bin has been delivered. A householder does not need to sign for the bin.

Other considerations

3.1 Residents requiring a smaller grey bin can receive this free of charge, providing the larger bin they are returning is in a serviceable condition. This will encourage residents to recycle more in order to manage a reduced residual capacity, resulting in a reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill.

3.2 Where a smaller grey bin has been present at a household and circumstances have changed this bin will be replaced for a standard sized grey bin. This will be exchanged free of charge, providing the bin being returned is in a serviceable condition.

3.3 This policy will encourage residents and communities to manage their waste containers responsibly and, in turn, will have a positive impact on the street scene.

New properties/housing developments

4.1 The Council charges for the provision and delivery of waste containers to newly built and redeveloped residential properties, including the redevelopment of a property into multi-occupancy. A fee of £100 per property is due at the property numbering request stage. The containers will be delivered when requested by the occupants.

4.2 If the development is a multi-occupancy property, the fee will remain at £100 per unit. However, a site visit will be made and bin provision may be in the form of larger communal bins.

4.3 The full suite of waste containers suitable for that property will be provided for the charge.

4.4 The charge for the first set of waste containers at new properties or new housing developments will still be made to the developer.

4.5 If the developer fails to make the payment the property will not receive a kerbside collection and an alternative arrangement would have to be made by the occupier.

Garden Waste subscription service

5.1 Householders subscribing to the garden waste collection subscription service who do not already have a garden waste bin at their property will be provided with their first containers free of charge.

5.2 The first garden waste bin provided may be new or refurbished but will be of sufficient standard for the storage and collection of waste.

5.3 Should the garden waste bin be lost or stolen after it has been delivered then a replacement container charge will apply.